From Virtue to Vanity: The Fall of Modesty

"Modesty, sometimes known as demureness, is a mode of dress and deportment that intends to avoid the encouragement of sexual attraction in others. The word modesty comes from the Latin word modestus, which means 'keeping within measure'."

In simple words, modesty is the quality of not drawing attention to oneself and being humble. It often refers to how people dress and behave in ways that don't show off or bring excessive attention.

 

Modesty throughout the world

There is a common consensus on human nature that stipulates covering the private parts of the body. This convention cuts across cultures, religions, and societies as it refers to something deeply embedded within man. The instincts are closely related to the concept of innate disposition (fitrah), which refers to the natural instincts guided towards dignity and self-respect by which man lives. In whichever civilization, at whatever time in history, people covered themselves using clothing or coverings, not minding the nature or style of the covering.

Modesty as a concept has been seen in cultural, religious, legal, and social contexts. Islam emphasised modesty in both behaviour and dress, not only for women but for men too. In Surah Ahzab and Nur, advising women to cover themselves and maintain their modesty and purity. In 24:30, "Tell the believing men to lower their gaze and guard their private parts. That is purer for them. Indeed, Allah is acquainted with what they do." As for humility, the Qur'an says in 31:18: “And do not turn your cheek [in pride] to people, nor walk through the earth exultantly. Indeed, Allah does not like everyone self-deluded and boastful.”

Christianity also emphasizes modesty in the New Testament. "Paul advises women to dress modestly, with decency and propriety. The idea is that one's inner beauty and virtue should be more important than outward appearance." Reference: The Bible, 1 Timothy 2:9–10.

From region to region, cultural practices for modesty have been seen. For example, in Southeast Asia, women traditionally wear sarees and salwar kameez as modest attire.

When did modesty start?

The origins of modesty are complex, but it has emerged from various religious doctrines, social norms, psychological principles, and protection strategies.

Psychological perspective:

Psychologists consider modesty as part of humility, which is a trait often linked with emotional well-being and better social relationships. Modest people are less likely to boast about their achievements, which can make them more likeable and trustworthy in a society. "The Psychology of Humility: A Review" by Mark R. Leary and Ashley Batts Allen.

Religious teachings:

Many religions practice modesty as a part of maintaining moral integrity and purity. Early religious texts often link modesty with humility, piety, and respect for one another. For example, scriptures of Hinduism, testaments of the Bible, and the Qur'an establish guidelines on how people should dress and behave.

Cultural and social norms:

Across various ancient societies, modesty was an important factor to regulate sexual behaviour and delineate class distinctions. For instance, in ancient Greece, the women were expected to dress conservatively, especially after marriage. Aristotle even viewed modesty as a part of ethical norms, associating it with moderation and self-control. Similarly, in ancient Rome, modesty referred to honour and status, especially for women. Women of higher social status were expected to dress modestly to symbolise their families honour and dignity. While for the women of lower class the standards were not the same. This was a way to distinguish between social hierarchy.

Protection and safety:

In the communities of humans ago, modesty likely rose as a way to shield oneself. Experts in societies propose that dressing and acting modestly could have lessened rivalry for attention and lowered the chances of facing harm or manipulation, particularly for women. Creating rules on how to dress and behave allowed these societies to create spaces and shield individuals from danger.

Victorian England:

In Britain (1837–1901) during the Victorian era, there was an emphasis on women projecting modesty through their attire and conduct as a valued social standard linked to femininity and respectability upheld by prevailing societal expectations.

Feminism affecting modesty

Feminism, as a movement advocating for gender equality and women's rights, has challenged the traditional way of modesty, especially when it is viewed as a way of controlling a woman's behaviour and reinforcing patriarchal norms. Feminism played a major role in reshaping the meaning of modesty, interpretation, and practicing in various ways: Feminist critique of patriarchal modesty: Early feminists like Simone de Beauvoir critiqued that a woman's freedom is being limited due to the modesty used by patriarchal societies.

In her book, the second sex, Beauvoir discusses how societal norms are constraining women, which includes modesty, which reduces their agency, and asserting male dominance. Feminists also highlight that modesty has caused double standards, as women are expected to cover themselves to avoid male gaze. Whereas for men there are no such expected factors. Feminists call this sexist and oppressive and reject this notion.

The body positivity moment, influenced by feminists, also emphasises the fact that a woman should not be judged based on how much they're covering or revealing their bodies. This moment argues that all bodies are worthy of respect and women should have the freedom to dress in a way that makes them feel comfortable, whether it is modest clothing or more revealing clothing.

The impact of the feminist moment on modesty has been negative

While the feminist movement has placed significant contributions toward personal freedom, gender neutrality, freedom of expression, and body positivity, its outcome culminated in cultural backlash, over-sexualization of female bodies, a new form of pressure to fit in with modern times, and criticism toward cultural modesty.

This complexity arises due to feminist movements and continuous debates on how to balance individual freedom with community tradition and morals. The challenge that feminism poses to modesty has increased the level of resistance from the societies in which modesty is deeply embedded into the cultural norms. With ideas of feminism clashing with trading values, social division will be created, and hence conflict will arise between progressive and traditional factions in the community.

For example, arguments over modesty became a point of a broader cultural struggle in other nations, and similarly, the requirement of ban of wearing a hijab in public life in France transformed into anti-protest over the prohibition with respect to women rights and freedom to profess faith.

Feminism is not homogeneous, and the liberation of self-expression led to fragmentation in the feminist community itself. A new idea is born in the daily routine of how modest dressing is empowering or wearing "bold" gives more confidence.

Some feminists emphasize sexual liberation and altogether reject modesty; on the other hand, some feminists support modesty as an empowering choice because of personal or religious choice. This made feminists believe that hijab is an oppression while others see it as empowerment.

One unintended consequence was the hypersexualization of cultures and media. On the internet, empowering self-expression borders on sexually explicit images of women almost as a between-a-rock-and-a-hard-place affair. As a result, it has become common to see women depicted in hypersexualized settings, although they might be considered empowering.

The downfall of modesty

The decline of modesty It would be much more truthful to say feminism was great in redefining the conversation on modesty, but it certainly didn't cause its downfall.

After World War II, media, entertainment, pop culture, and advertising increased exponentially in ways that altered society's expectations about how a woman should dress and act. The factors behind the decline of modesty can be attributed to forces other than feminism, like capitalism, liberalism, secularism, consumerism, globalisation and media influence. Secularism's separation of religion in public life made modesty a virtue tied with faith. Modesty is instead remade as old-fashioned and conservative rather than as a moral choice. As much as the liberalism of personal freedom and expression has been televised as putting down cultural norms and tradition and embracing choices less "binding," Consumerism has manifest immodesty in the market through the fashion industry selecting provocative wearables and flaunting exposure for the portrayal of freedom, prosperity, and assurance as equivalent to empowerment. All of these in collaboration have caused the downfall of modesty as an ideal worth respecting and substituting moral and spiritual values over self-expression, commercial appeal, and individual freedom.

How did it benefit men?

Men may benefit from immodesty through social, cultural, and psychological influences. However, not all men support immodesty. For those who do, their reasons might be driven more by personal or social wills as well as cultural trends. It means that when a woman is dressed in a revealing way, it has provided men with constant visual access to the female body. Such has been made normal by social media, entertainment, and the film industries because they mostly sexualize women for financial gains. This culture makes them commodify a woman's body and reduce them to objects of pleasure rather than individuals who deserve respect. It therefore remakes men's preference for revealing clothes over modesty.

Men engaged in entrainment industry may advocate for the industry because of consumerism and guaranteed market strategy which appeals to the men and the women but specifically towards the men as a target. Constant watching of explicit materials and pornography changed perception and modesty levels of the individuals; thus, they promote and advertise more revealing and sexualized women.

In Return to Modesty, Wendy Shalit argues that the "abdication," or giving up, of modesty does not empower women but exposes them to possible objectification. Is modesty a form of oppression? Modesty is the way to dignity, self-respect, and attention to inner qualities. By protecting people from being objectified and from following unattainable wishes and beauty concepts manufactured by the media and consumer culture, modesty enables people to live true to themselves and avoid materialism. Modesty also is a form of discipline and discipline is everywhere: school uniform, the work place dress codes, etc. that are trying to maintain the order, respect and concentration. Modesty suits better into that framework as it offers healthier interactions between people and maintaining of order.

For many, modesty is a proud expression of culture, Muslim women wearing hijab symbolizing faith and empowerment. It liberates them from societal pressures, allowing them to prioritise integrity and humility over superficial appearances. Hence, modesty is not oppressive but rather a disciplined approach that promotes dignity, respect, and ethical living in society.

Is modesty oppressive?

Modesty is a way of maintaining dignity, self-respect, and inner focus. Modesty prevents people from being objectified. The impossibly high standard set by the media and the consumer culture modesty saves people from living unrealistically and from materialism. Modesty is also a form of self-control, and self-control can be found everywhere in society: school uniforms, work place dress codes, etc. that help to conserve order, respect, and concentration. Modesty suits this range much better, because it drives healthier social relationships, and things stay in order.

For many, modesty is a proud affirmation of their culture-the hijab on Muslim women, for example, is the embodiment of faith and empowerment. It frees them from social pressures so they may think of integrity and humility more than outward appearances. This makes modesty not oppressive but a disciplined approach that promotes dignity, respect, and ethics in society.

Ayesha Shaikh

Pursuing a degree in Management Studies with a Diploma in Islamic Sciences, working as a Graphic Designer and Entrepreneur.

“Do good deeds that will benefit you even after death.”